Self-starter control



Dec. 14,1926. 1,610,877

F. A. MEEKER SELF STARTER CONTROL Filed NOV. 16, 1925 I site direction mechanically by simple ten- Patented Dec. 14, 1926 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FAYE A. MEEKER, 0F UTICA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE PARTLOW CORPORATION,

' OF UTICA, NEW'YOZRK, A CORPORATIQN OF NEW YORK.

SELF-STARTER CONTROL.

Application filed November 16, 1925. Serial No. 69,632.

, This invention relates to internal combustion engines, of the type employed for propelling automobiles and the like, and has particular, relation to enginesthat are controlled by the Well-known electric selfstarters, in common use.

The primary objection of the invention is toprovide novel and simple automatic means for preventing the stripping .of the starting gears, or otherwise damaging the engine and starter, which frequently occurs when the starting pedal is operated by inexperienced or careless drivers, while the engine is running. A'further object is to provide a. novel and simple vacuum controlled safety device comprising a split hollow body adapted to be mounted upon. or adjacent the self-starter, inwhich is located a relatively flexible diaphragm, the latter adapted to be flexed in the directionfor preventing operation of the starting pedal, by vacuum created by the engine pistons, and the said diaphragm being flexed in the opposion means. A further object is to provide a reciprocable bolt or like looking, member, which is connected toand actuated by the diaphragm, the said bolt adapted to be moved towards and to be continuously disposed across the path of the starter gear shifting and switch operating lever by the said vacuum, for preventing the operation of the shiftable engine starter gear while the engine is running. And a particular object is to provide an extremely simple and effective locking device, which is controlled automatically by the engine, for preventing operation of the starting mechanism While the engine is in motion, the said locking member being released and rendered inoperative by the stoppage of the engine. I attain these objects by the means set forth in the detailed description which follows, and as illustrated by the accompanyin drawing, in which-- Figure 1 is a broken side elevation of an internal combustion engine, including a selfstarter, to which my improvement is applied, the latter being shown in broken lines. Fig. 2 is an enlarged end elevation of the starter and an edge view of my device, the locking bolt being in released position. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 4 is an enlarged rear-end view of the locking device.

the diaphragm that actuates the bolt, in

plan. And Fig. 8 is a vertical longitudinal section, taken on line 88 of Fig. 6.

In the drawing, 2 represents generally one type of internal combustion engine, 3 the main gear-case, and 3' the portion of the casing that usually contains the shiftable gear, by which the engine is started. These gears being well understood, neither of them is shown. 4 represents. a selfstarter of any suitable make, which usually comprises an inclosed electric motor (not shown), the latter being controlled by a switch member 4:. 5 is the starting lever, which ispivoted by a bolt 5, and is movable in the path of and operates the switch member 4 (see dotted positions in Fig. 3) by the depressing of a, pedal 5,- which connects with said lever by a'rod 5". The pedal 5 is usually disposed beneath the dash of the automobile, and is depressed by the drivers foot, for starting the engine. The lower end of the lever 5 projects into the auxiliary gear case 3, and shifts the starting pinion in a well-known manner, into and out of mesh withthe main gear, while the upper end of the lever 5 operates the starter switch member 4. -The full lines in Fig. 1, show the lever 5 and related parts in the released position. The right-hand dotted position in Fig. 3 indicates the operated position of said lever.

My self-starter controlling device comprises a split circular body consisting of similar internally recessed sections 6-6, between which is disposed a relatively limp and flexible diaphragm 7, the latter preferably being leather, which together with the sections 66 are clamped and held in the assembled condition, shown in Figs.

4 and 6, by bolts 6. The outer face of the section 6 is preferably formed with aspacing boss 6*, and also with. a reinforcing rib 6. Section 6 is also provided with a perforated lug 6, that receives the bolt 5, by which the body is preferably rigidly held in place, as best seen in Fig. 3. The section 6 is preferably formed with a concentric hub 6, and with a vent 6 The means for preventing the operation of the starting lit lever 5 and the pedal 5- while the engine is running, preferably comprisep a reciprocable bolt or locking member 8, that may be formed with a medial flange 8, which overlays concentrically one face of the diaphragm 7, to which the bolt 8 is rigidly secured by fasteners 7. 7 represents a disc, which is mounted upon the reverse side of the diaphragm, and registers with and reinforces the mounting of'the bolt 8, the said'disc also being held in place by the fasteners Z, The opposite ends of the bolt 8 extend respectively beyond the boss 6 and the hub 6, and when the said bolt is released, its forward end is preferably positioned a small fraction of an inch forwardly and clear of the lever 5 (see Figs. 2, 3, 5 and 8) ready at the slightest outward movement or thrust of the bolt by the corresponding flexing of the diaphragm 7, to be projected across the path of the lever 5, for preventing the said lever from depressing the switch member 4L and starting the engine 2. The diaphragm 7 is flexed in the direction for effectin the outward or locking movement of the olt 8, by means of the suction or vacuum created by the pistons when the engine is operating, and to accomplish this work in a simple and eflective manner, l provide a pipe 9, that communicates at one end, as 9', with the diaphragm chamber 6* (see Figs. 3, i, 5, =6 and 8), while the opposite end 9" of said pipe extends around to the farther side of the engine, and communicates with the usual intake manifold,

shown conventially at 10, in Fig. 1. By this construction and arrangement of the parts of the invention, when the engine 2 is idle or dead, the driver may depress the pedal 5 and roclr the lever 5 towards the switch.

member d, for shifting the gears and starting the engine, without any interference from my safety device. But when the en gine is once started and the pressure on the pedal 5* is subsequently relaxed sufficiently to allow the lever 5 to return to its released position shown in Fig. 1, and by the vertical dotted position shown in Fig. 3, the vacuum created by the engine pistons instantly moves the bolt 8 outwardly across the path of the lever 5, as shown by the dotted lines in Fi 8, which prevents the depressing of the pe al 5 and the shifting of the driving gear or pinion, until the engine is finally stopped. When the engine stops running, the vacuum is instantly destroyed, and a coil spring 12 carried by the bolt 8, and being held under suitable tension'by the flange 8 and the end wall of the section 6, instantly moves the said bolt inwardly clear of the lever 5. The vent 6 facilitates the flexing of the diaphragm 7 by the vacuum and by the spring 12, in a well-lmown manner.

My invention is extremely simple, sensitive and reliable, and may be manufactured,

har er-v and readily and quickly installed at slight expense, and by a small amount of labor, The vacuum acts upon the diaphragm instantaneously, and the latter moves the bolt 8 across the path of the lever 5 so quickly that it is impossible for the driver to again depress the pedal 5", after he starts the engine and releases the pedal, By utilizing the vacuum created by the engine cylinders, the operation of my safety device is entirely automatic. it requires but little power for its operation, and needs no attention or care after it is properly constructed and installed. 7

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, is-

1. A safety device for engine starters, including in combination with engine starting means, locking means movable across the path of the starting means to prevent operation thereof, vacuum actuated means fo r operating said locking means upon starting of the engine and means for restoring said locking means to normal position upon stoppage of the engine.

2, A. safety device for engine starters, comprising a hollow body in constant communication with the intake manifold of the engine, a diaphragm in said body, a locking bolt reciprocable in said body by the idem ing of said diaphragm by vacuum derived from said'manifold adapted to be projected beyond the body and across the path of the starting member and tension means for moving said bolt in the opposite direction.

3. in an engine control, the combination with the engine and a self-starter including a switch actuating lever, of a vacuum controlled loclringdevice comprising a body containing a vacuum chamber, a diaphragm in said chamber, a pipe connecting said chamber with the intake manifold of the engine, a bolt reciprocated by. said diaphragm adapted to be disposed across the path of said lever for preventing operation of the self-starter while the engine is running, and means for retracting said bolt from said path.

l, Tn a safety device for internal combus tion engines, the combination with the engine and a self-starter. including a switch member and a lever for operating said member and shiftin the gears of the self-starter, of a h llow body, a diaphragm in said body, means connecting said body with the intake manifold of the engine,'a bolt reciprocable, in said body adapted to be thrust across the path of said lever by the flexing of said diaphragm by vacuum created by the engine pistons, and means for moving said bolt in the opposite direction for freeing said lever.

5. ln a safety device for engine starters, the combination with the intake manifold of the engine, a self-starter including a switch actuating lever, of a holow body communi eating with said intake manifold, a diaphragm in said body, a bolt connected to and reciprocated by said diaphragm, said bolt being normally positioned forwardly and clear of said lever adapted to be projected and held across the path of said lever by the flexing of said diaphragm b vacuum derived from said intake manifol for preventing the operation of said lever while the engine is running, and means for withdrawing said bolt when the engine stops running.

6. 'Ihecombination with an internal combustion engine including the intake manifold, and a self-starter including a lever forv actuating the starter, of a vacuum chamber disposed adjacent said lever and communicating with said manifold, suction operated means within said chamber, a bolt reciprocable in said chamber adapted to be projected across the path of said lever by said suction operated means for preventing the operation of said lever while the engine is running, and means for withdrawing said bolt when the engine stops for permitting the driver to restart the engine by the operation of said lever.

7. In a safety device for engine starters, the combination with the intake manifold of the engine, a. self-starter including a switch actuating lever, of a hollow body in constant communication with said manifold, suction operated means within said hollow body, a locking bolt reciprocable in said body, one end of said bolt being positioned near said lever adapted to be thrust and held across the path of said lever when the latter is in the released position by said suction operated means for preventing the operation of i the selif-starter while the engine is running,

and tension means for withdrawing said bolt when the en ine stops running.

8. In a self-starter control, the combination with the starting-gears and the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine,

9. In a self-starter control, the combination with the starting-gears and the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine, and a self-starter including a switch lever,- of a hollow body in constant communication wtih said manifold, a diaphragm in said body adapted to move in one direction by the vacuum created when the engine is running, means for moving the diaphragm-in the opposite direction when the en ine stops, and a bolt reciprocable by said diaphragm, said bolt being normally positioned forwardly and clear of said lever when the engine is idle, said bolt adapted to be proiected. and held across the path of said lever by said diaphragm for preventing the shifting of the starting-gears while the engine isrunning.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

.FAYE A. MEEKER. 

